SUNDAY, MAY 8, 2016 SPORTS Lightning strike in overtime to beat Islanders

LOS ANGELES: The Tampa Bay Lightning led for less than seven minutes combined in Games 3 and 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the New York Islanders. But a “quality, not quantity” approach to hockey has the Lightning heading home with a chance to close the series out Sunday afternoon. Jason Garrison scored 1:34 into overtime Friday night as the Lightning beat the Islanders 2-1 at Barclays Center to take a three games to one series lead. Tampa Bay the reigning Eastern Conference champions, can move on to the Eastern Conference Final by winning Game 5, which is scheduled for Sunday afternoon at Amalie Arena in Tampa. The Lightning are on the verge of advancing despite leading for just 66 minutes and 21 seconds in the first four games. “That experience last year, going to the final, really helped this group,” Lightning right winger Ryan Callahan said. “We just continue to go out there and work and we know we’ll get those opportunities eventually with the amount of skill we have. Hopefully one of them goes in. Tonight’s no different.” Games 3 and 4 weren’t that much different for either team. Garrison’s goal gave the Lightning its only lead of Friday night. Tampa Bay trailed for more than 47 minutes before right winger Nikita Kucherov tied the game 7:49 into the third. In Game 3 on Tuesday, the Lightning led for just 6:40 but forced over- time on a last-minute third period goal by Kucherov. Center Brian Boyle then gave Tampa Bay a 5-4 win by scoring 2:48 into overtime. “There’s no real panic button anymore,” Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said. “You don’t know whether it’s the first period or the third period on our bench. They’re just positive about the job they have ahead of them until the last buzzer. It’s been a lot of fun being around this group.” The Islanders, meanwhile, are on the verge of suffering the same fate they handed to the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference quarterfi- nals. New York won that series in six games despite leading the Panthers for just 45 minutes and 54 seconds-and won two overtime games in which it didn’t lead until scoring the game-winning goal. “The last two games have been good hockey games-that’s how close these two teams are, it’s one shot away from taking the (series) lead or not,” Islanders head coach Jack Capuano said. “You can’t ask our guys for too much more.” But if their season ends in this series, the Islanders will likely lament NEW YORK: An overtime goal by Jason Garrison #5 of the Tampa Bay Lightning against Thomas Greiss #1 of the New York Islanders results in a 2-1 victory for their inability to generate more offense Friday. Kyle Okposo scored a pow- the Lightning in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Second Round. —AFP er play goal 4:20 into the first and nearly doubled the lead with 10:49 left, when Ryan Strome’s shot from in front of the net disappeared beneath squatting Lightning goalie Ben Bishop (27 saves). The call of no goal stood because replays couldn’t show if the puck ever crossed the line. The Islanders ended up outshooting the Lightning 16-6 in the first but got just awaken to one shot during a four-minute power play following a pair of roughing penalties on Callahan. “You’ve got to tip your hat to ‘Bish,’ because he saved us in the first,” Cooper said. “That could have kind of changed the tide of the game, espe- muzzle in cially when we didn’t have too much going.” The Lightning outshot the Islanders 17-11 over the next two periods and finally produced the equal- izer on a broken play behind the New York net. Tampa Bay center Tyler Johnson picked up a puck lost by Nick Leddy and passed to Kucherov, Japan made to work for win in steamy whose shot fluttered over the right arm of goalie Thomas Greiss (20 saves). TOKYO: Marcel Brache scored an explosive early hat- “When we got that one, you could tell on our bench we had a good feeling trick as the Western Force thrashed the Sunwolves 40- of what could happen,” Cooper said. “And it happened.” Garrison’s game- 22 in Tokyo yesterday in a battle between two Super winner capped a chaotic sequence that included Islanders defenseman Rugby strugglers. The Sunwolves, who posted a his- Calvin De Haan losing his stick. New York could not clear the puck, which toric first victory in the southern hemisphere’s pre- eventually found its way to Garrison in front of the Stanley Cup Playoffs mier provincial competition against Argentina’s logo. De Haan eventually picked up a stick but accidentally screened Jaguares in their last outing, burst from the blocks goalie Thomas Greiss (20 saves) as Garrison’s slap shot sailed into the net. with a try from Akihito Yamada in the opening “We had chances to get the puck out on the wall, we didn’t get it out,” moments. Capuano said. “And then after that, we had pretty good D-zone coverage. But from the restart a sharp interception from You give that shot up all day long. But it had eyes.”—Reuters Brache left him an easy run-in, before a spectacular try after a slick move and another bulldozing finish gave the winger his hat-trick inside 20 minutes. The Waratahs shine - but Force, who had won just one of their previous nine matches, never looked back and further tries from Byrnard Stander, Ben McCalman and Angus Cottrell miss top chance to go secured a second win of the season for the Perth- based visitors. SYDNEY: The New South Wales Waratahs missed a chance to go top of “Obviously it wasn’t the start we were after but the the Australian Super Rugby conference when they beat the Central way we rebounded was superb,” said Force Cheetahs 21-6 in Sydney yesterday. The Waratahs needed a bonus Matt Hodgson after his side snapped a seven-game point win to go ahead of the ACT Brumbies, but fell just short in an losing run. “I asked the team to be tough in those error-ridden clash. The home side scored two tries to none and moments and I was happy we got the momentum thought they had a third, which would have secured the bonus point, back.” Trailing 26-5 after a low-energy first half, the when Israel Folau crossed in the corner right on full time. But the tele- Sunwolves awoke from their slumber following the vision match official ruled that NSW captain Michael Hooper had break with Samoan fly-half Tusi Pisi and Kiwi centre thrown a forward pass in the lead up and the try was disallowed. “It Derek Carpenter crashing over. Yamada, who failed to was a tough game, back and forth, back and forth,” Hooper said. “But make an impact at the Force last season, grabbed a we shut them out and had no tries scored against us for the first time late second-his seventh try of the season-to cap an TOKYO: John Stewart of Japan’s Sunwolves (in red) is tucked by players of Australia’s Force, in white, dur- this year, so it was a really huge effort in that regard.” impressive return from injury and deny the ing the Super Rugby match in Tokyo yesterday. Force won over Sunwolves 40-22. — AP The Waratahs always looked in control against a disappointing Australians a bonus point. Cheetahs, who made five changes to the side that lost to Queensland “When their tails are up, they’re hard to defend former Japan coach Eddie Jones, now in charge of advantage for the 10-time defending Asian champi- against,” Hodgson said of the Japanese expansion England, to slam the Sunwolves as “embarrassing”. ons to 19-3 at half-time. Last week, Japan had led 47-0 last week. Three of those were in the front row, but that move back- side. “I was just rapt we got away with a win.” after 40 minutes of play. Hong Kong enjoyed signifi- fired as the Cheetahs scrum struggled badly throughout the first half. However, a plucky second-half display proved scant Championship cant time in their opponent’s territory at the end of The visitors opened the scoring after just three minutes with a penalty consolation for Sunwolves captain . “We In another development, Japan maintained their the first half, albeit without reward, and fought to stay to Fred Zeilinga, but the Waratahs hit back with two of their own from started well but then we started giving away penal- perfect start to the Asia Rugby Championship yester- in the contest after the break. But Japan finally broke Bernard Foley. Despite being under huge pressure the Cheetahs were ties and got pushed back,” he shrugged as Sunwolves day with a hard-fought 38-3 win over a resilient Hong the home side’s resistance with a try in the corner hanging in for much of the first half, but two tries in seven minutes to players posed for photographs with Japanese fans. Kong. The 2019 World Cup hosts ran in six tries, with from centre Ryota Nakamura just under 15 minutes winger Reece Robinson and Foley put the home side in control at the “We need to be more aggressive in enemy territory. fly-half Ryohei Yamanaka adding four conversions into the second half. break 18-6. There’s a lot of things we have to go away and think during play in humid weather at the Hong Kong And replacement Hiroki Yamamoto added a pair of Foley kicked his third penalty three minutes after the restart and about. It’s a good lesson for the future,” Horie added. Football Club. The match was a stark contrast to their tries inside the final 20 minutes as Ryuji Nakatake’s the Waratahs looked like running away with the match. But NSW The Sunwolves have endured a torrid first season storming 12-try, 85-0 win over in last Japan sealed the victory. “There was big differences appeared to fatigue badly after flying home from South Africa during in Super Rugby, hitting rock bottom in last month’s week’s tournament opener in Yokohama. Benjamin between the Korea game and today’s game, especial- the week and they couldn’t secure the crucial third try. Cheetahs cap- 92-17 humiliation by South Africa’s Cheetahs before Rimene posted Hong Kong’s only score with a first- ly Hong Kong’s pressure in the breakdown,” said Japan tain Francois Venter said his young team was building for next year. ending their own seven-match losing skid against the half penalty, ahead of Leigh Jones’ side’s trip to interim coach Nakatake. “We had a lot of mistakes and “I’m proud of the guys, they were always fighting hard,” he said. Jaguares. The Tokyo-based side joined the competi- Incheon next week to face South Korea as the three- penalties, which at the moment is one of our weak- “There’s a lot of our guys who are on tour for the first time. It’s always tion on the back of Japan’s astonishing performance team round-robin tournament continues. nesses. “It is a step forward from last week as there difficult to travel and we must adapt for next year. “We’re still build- at the World Cup where the Brave Blossoms won Japan quickly established a 12-0 lead following were some good links between the forwards and the ing a team and hopefully we can do better.”—AFP three pool games, including a 34-32 shock upset over tries from flanker Shokei Kin and scrum-half Keisuke backs, so I think the quality is getting better, but two-time champions South Africa. But delays bring- Uchida, although a penalty from Hong Kong fly-half today Hong Kong’s pressure at the breakdown and ing in players and coaching staff sabotaged the Rimene reduced the deficit for the hosts. But a try good chasing after the kick was the reason it was a Russia dismisses Sochi team’s preparations while a lack of depth prompted from winger Kentaro Kodama soon extended the close game.”—Agencies Games doping claims Mathews hopes to gain from MOSCOW: Russia’s sports minister yesterday dismissed claims that four Russian gold medalists at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics were Jayawardene’s knowledge drug cheats. The allegations-the latest in a string of doping accusa- tions to rock Russian sport-are made by whistleblower Vitaly LONDON: captain hopes to uti- second stint with England at the World Twenty20. But Stepanov in an upcoming edition of American channel CBS’ “60 lize ’s inside knowledge of the England Mathews was far more relaxed about his former team-mate Minutes”. In an interview to air in full today, Stepanov, a former offi- set-up when the two teams meet in a Test series later this working with a rival nation. “There’s no problem with guys cial with the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA), cites Grigor month. Jayawardene, one of Sri Lanka’s greatest batsman like that working with other countries,” said the all-rounder. Rodchenkov, former head of Russia’s now-discredited drug testing but retired from international since last year’s 50- “They have the freedom to go anywhere and work and we lab, as telling him that FSB state security service officers “tried to con- over World Cup, recently acted as a batting consultant to have the luxury of asking them and inviting them to come trol every single step of the anti-doping process in Sochi”. England including at the World Twenty20 in where his and help us out as well. So it doesn’t really matter.” Hosts Russia won 13 gold medals at the Sochi Winter Olympics. A ‘adopted’ team reached the final. Such is the ebb and flow of coaches in modern interna- brief preview of the interview released by CBS reveals no names of Jayawardene, who is due to have a stint playing for tional cricket that both England boss and suspected dope cheats. Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko, howev- county side Somerset in English domestic cricket’s assistant Paul Farbrace have previously enjoyed spells with er, shrugged off the latest allegations as “speculation” and accused Twenty20 competition later this season, no longer has any Sri Lanka. It was at Headingley two years ago, on the back Stepanov of trying to tarnish the country’s image. official role with the England set-up ahead of the start of a of a commanding century by Mathews, that Sri Lanka “All his so-called revelations are based on speculation,” Mutko told three-Test series at Headingley on May 19. But according to sealed their first Test series win in England after a thrilling Mathews, he will be close at hand for advice in his new role match went all the way to the penultimate ball on the last Russia’s TASS news agency. “It is obvious that someone wants to as a television commentator. Mathews could also tap into day. “We don’t have Sangakkara and Mahela anymore, but harm Russian sport,” Mutko said. “What facts does he have, what lists, the experience of another Sri Lankan batting star in Kumar we’ve got to move on, we’ve got to take on the challenge,” why has he decided to come out with the latest claims now?” Sangakkara, no longer on the international scene but now said Mathews. “I believe we can still win if we play to our Stepanov and his wife, banned athlete Yuliya Stepanova, appeared in playing for London-based county side Surrey. potential. “We’ve got some fearless players in our side and a German television documentary claiming systematic doping in “When it comes to international cricket there are no that can be a plus for us. Russian athletics in 2014 - allegations later supported by an investi- secrets to be honest,” Mathews told reporters at Lord’s, We’ll have to play really good cricket to beat England gation by a World Anti-Doping Agency independent commission where Sri Lanka were training ahead of this weekend’s tour though. “The 2014 series is one moment we’ll cherish for which found evidence of “state-sponsored” doping and widespread opener against Essex. “I think we have a lot of video the rest of our lives. We’d never won a Test series here corruption. footage, they have video footage of us as well, so there are before, so to do that was fantastic. “If we can repeat that The International Association of Athletics Federations suspended no real secrets. When you get on the park you know what once again it would be ideal.” The first task for many of Russia in November, with the IAAF council due to decide in June if they are up to and the plan for this, and we get to know it. Mathews’s squad will be adjusting to the unpredictable the country’s track and field team can compete in Rio. In the “60 “But there might be a couple of tactical ideas that Mahela English climate. Early season Tests in England can often take Minutes” program, US Anti-Doping Agency chief Travis Tygart says he can predict.”I’m pretty sure that guys like Mahela and place in bitterly cold conditions although as Mathews was doesn’t believe Russian athletics has done enough to warrant rein- Sangakkara will always come and help us.” speaking temperatures on a sunny day in London topped statement and USADA is “not in favor” of Russian athletes competing 23C (73F). Asked if he realized some county matches in in Rio. “They can’t come at the expense of clean athletes’ rights,” he No problem England had been interrupted by snow last week, Mathews Earlier this year, Sri Lanka Cricket president Thilanga replied: “Yes! We’ve brought a lot of jumpers. It’s absolutely tells “60 Minutes”.— AFP Angelo Mathews Sumathipala criticized Jayawardene when he started his brilliant to have this weather (the sunshine).”—AFP